Collapsible barricade assembly

ABSTRACT

A collapsible barricade assembly having an elongated beam swingably connected to a pair of leg frames movable between a generally coplanar collapsed position and a diverging extended position. A brace is swingably interconnected to one of said frames and is engageable with means on the other of said frames for releasably retaining said frames in extended position. A ground-engageable post is removably supported by said brace and beam to project above said beam for supporting signal equipment in an elevated position.

United States Patent Forestal Aug. 29, 1972 [54] COLLAPSIBLE BARRICADE 865,858 9/1907 Bonenbcrgcr ..256/64 UX ASSEMBLY 2,324,196 7/1943 Crozier .182/186 X [72] Inventor: Richard F. Forestal, lndianapolis, O G PATENTS O APPLICATIONS 1nd. 46202 866,141 4 1941 F [73] Assignee: Hi-Vu 1nc., Indianapolis, 1nd. I rance [82/226 Primary Examiner-Dennis L. Taylor [22] Flled 1971 Att0rneyTrask, Jenkins & Hanley 21 Appl. No.: 117,256

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl ..256/64 A collapsible barricade assembly having an elongated [51] Int. Cl. ..E0lf 13/00 beam swingably connected to a pair of leg frames [58] Field of Search ....256/64, 1; 182/181, 186, 226, movable between a generally coplanar collapsed posi- 182/227; 116/63 P tion and a diverging extended position. A brace is swingably interconnected to one of said frames and is [56] References Cited engageable with means on the other of said frames for releasably retaining said frames in extended position. UNITED STATES PATENTS A ground-engageable post is removably supported by 3,490,749 1/1970 Anderson ..256/64 Said brace e beam to Project above Said beam for 1,547,225 7/1925 Marks ..256/64 UX Supporting Signal equipment in an elevated Position 155,049 9/1874 Stevens ..182/227 X 6C! 8 DH 376,876 1/1888 Goodrich ..182/227 X 8 Patented" Aug. 29,1972 7 3,687,419

INVENTOR g 3 ia \rahq A/g RICHARD F. FORESTAL TORNEYSL COLLAPSIBLE BARRICADE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Barricades heretofore employed have been of the sawhorse type in which pairs of legs diverge downwardly from an elongated central beam. To make such barricades collapsible, and thus more portable, the legs at each side of the barricade have been interconnected to form a pair of leg frames which are swingably connected to the beam so that said legs can be folded between diverging extended positions and coplanar retracted positions.

Such barricades have certain inherent disadvantages, however, in that the wind can cause one of the leg frames to move toward the other to a point where the wind can topple over the thus partially collapsed barricade. Further, the portability of such collapsible barricades increases their ease of being stolen. And, ir respective of their abilityto be collapsed, their maximum height is only that of their beam thereby making them difficult to see by an approaching motorist.

The instant invention overcomes these difficulties and disadvantages by the provision of a collapsible barricade assembly which can be easily collapsed and extended, releasably locked in extended position, and be seen from a substantial distance by an approaching motorist.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one form of the invention, there is provided a pair of leg frames each of which includes a pair of ground-engageable legs interconnected by a stretcher. The frames are swingably connected to a beam for movement between a generally coplanar collapsed position and a diverging extended position. A

brace is swingably connected to one of said stretchers and is engageable with means on the other stretcher for releasably retaining the leg frames in extended position.

Said brace has an opening formed therein, which, when the brace is extended between the two stretchers, is in alignment with a bracket mounted on the beam. A post is slidably received in said bracket and brace opening and projects above the beam for supporting any desired type of signal equipment in an elevated position above said beam. Desirably, a locking member is provided on said bracket for releasably locking said post onto said beam in the desired position of vertical adjustment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a barricade assemblyv embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the barricade assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 66 of FIG 2, but with portions thereof being broken away;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a modified form of the post mounting shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, my barricade assembly comprises an elongated beam 10 having a pair of downtumed ears 12 at its opposed ends. A pair of leg frames 14 are swingably connected to each of the ears 12, as by pivot pins 15. The leg frames are identical in construction, and each comprises a pair of legs 17 and 18 rigidly interconnected intermediate their lengths by a horizontal stretcher 20. As shown, the pivot pins 15 extend through the legs 17 and 18 at their upper ends, and the frames 14 are thus swingable between a diverging extended position as shown in FIG. 1 and a generally coplanar collapsed position as shown in FIG. 3.

In order to releasably retain the assembly in its extended position, a brace 22 is swingably connected at one of its ends to a hinge 23 mounted on one of the stretchers 20. The opposite end of said brace has an opening 24 formed therein which is adapted to be received over an upwardly projecting finger 25 mounted on the other stretcher. With the brace 22 received over the finger 25, the leg frames will be prevented from moving toward their collapsed position to thus prevent said barricade from accidentally collapsing. As shown in FIG 5, an opening 26 is formed in the finger 25 adjacent its upper end. When the brace is received over the finger 25, a padlock (not shown) may be inserted through the finger opening 26 for locking the brace in its operative position and thus locking the barricade in extended position.

As shown, a bracket 30 is mounted on the beam 10 and projects laterally outwardly therefrom. An opening 32 is formed in the brace 22, which opening is disposed in vertical alignment with the bracket 30 when the brace is in its operative position shown in FIG. 1. A ground-engageable post 35 is slidably received in the bracket 30 and opening 32 to project above the beam 10. Said post serves as a mounting post for supporting any desired type of signal equipment (not shown) in an elevated position above the height of the beam 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the post 35 has a plurality of vertically spaced openings 36 extending therethrough. The desired post opening is disposed in alignment with an opening 37 in the bracket 30 and a lock pin 38 is inserted through the openings 36 and 37 for retaining the post in the desired position of vertical adjustment with its lower end inserted into, or spaced above, the ground. Should it be desired to lock the post 35 in position on the beam 10 to help prevent the theft of the bar ricade assembly, a padlock (not shown) can be substituted for the lock pin 38.

If it is desired to support signal equipment in a position higher than the top of the post 35, a second post section 35A can be mounted on the top of said postas shown in FIG 1. To this end, the section 35A has a downwardly projecting collar 40 on its lower end slidably received over the upper end of the post 35. Said collar has an opening 41 extending therethrough adapted to be disposed in alignment with an opening 42 extending through the post 35 adjacent its upper end whereby a lock pin 44 can be inserted through the openings 41 and 42.

Thus, to erect the assembly, it is merely necessary to spread the leg frames 14 into their diverging positions shown in FIG. 1. The brace 22 is then swung downwardly over the locking finger 25 to retain the barricade in erected position and the post 35 is inserted into position through the bracket 30 and brace opening 32. After the assembly has been erected, the various locking pins can be inserted to releasably lock the leg frames and post in their operative position.

As shown in FIG. 8, instead of employing the bracket 30 for connecting the post 35 to the beam 10, said beam can be provided with an opening 45 in alignment with the brace opening and the post inserted through said pair of openings. Like the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the desired post opening 36 is disposed in alignment with an opening 37 in the beam and a lock pin 38 is inserted through the openings 36 and 37 for retaining the post in the desired position of vertical adjustment.

I claim:

1. A collapsible barricade assembly, comprising an elongated beam, a pair of leg frames each having a pair of ground-engageable legs interconnected intermediate their lengths by a horizontal stretcher, means swingably inter-connecting the upper ends of said frames to said beam whereby said frames are swingable between a generally coplanar collapsed position and a diverging extended position, a brace swingably mounted on the stretcher on one of said frames and releasably engageable with means on the stretcher on the other of said frames for releasably retaining said frames in a fixed extended position, bracket means mounted on said beam, and a vertically extending ground-engageable post removably received in said bracket means and an opening formed in said brace, said brace being disposed in a horizontal plane and the opening therein is in vertical alignment with said bracket means when said brace is in position to releasably retain said frames in extended position.

2. A collapsible barricade assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said post has a plurality of vertically spaced openings formed therein adapted to be selectively disposed in alignment with openings in said bracket means, and a pin is removably received in said bracket means and post openings for retaining said post in the desired position of adjustment.

3. A collapsible barricade assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said brace adjacent one of its ends is connected to a hinge mounted on said one of said stretchers and is provided with an opening adjacent its opposite end, and said means on said other of said stretchers comprises an upwardly projecting finger receivable in the opening in said brace.

4. A collapsible barricade assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which said finger has an opening formed therein disposed above said brace opening and adapted to receive a locking member for lockingly retaining the brace and leg frames in extended position 5. A collapsible barricade assembly as set forth in claim 2 with the addition that the upper end of said post is received in a collar mounted on a second post section projecting upwardly therefrom, said collar and post having aligned openings extending therethrough, and means extending through said collar and post openings for interconnecting said collar and second post section.

6. A collapsible barricade assembly, comprising an elongated beam, a pair of leg frames each having a pair of ground-engageable legs interconnected intermediate their lengths by a stretcher, means swingably interconnecting the upper ends of said frames to said beam whereby said frames are swingable between a generally coplanar collapsed position and a diverging extended position, a brace connected at one of its ends to hinge means mounted on one of said stretchers and provided with an opening adjacent its opposite end, and a finger on the other of said stretchers receivable in said brace opening whereby said brace is releasably retained. in position between said frames for releasably retaining them in extended position. 

1. A collapsible barricade assembly, comprising an elongated beam, a pair of leg frames each having a pair of groundengageable legs interconnected intermediate their lengths by a horizontal stretcher, means swingably inter-connecting the upper ends of said frames to said beam whereby said frames are swingable between a generally coplanar collapsed position and a diverging extended position, a brace swingably mounted on the stretcher on one of said frames and releasably engageable with means on the stretcher on the other of said frames for releasably retaining said frames in a fixed extended position, bracket means mounted on said beam, and a vertically extending groundengageable post removably received in said bracket means and an opening formed in said brace, said brace being disposed in a horizontal plane and the opening therein is in vertical alignment with said bracket means when said brace is in position to releasably retain said frames in extended position.
 2. A collapsible barricade assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said post has a plurality of vertically spaced openings formed therein adapted to be selectively disposed in alignment with openings in said bracket means, and a pin is removably received in said bracket means and post openings for retaining said post in the desired position of adjustment.
 3. A collapsible barricade assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said brace adjacent one of its ends is connected to a hinge mounted on said one of said stretchers and is provided with an opening adjacent its opposite end, and said means on said other of said stretchers comprises an upwardly projecting finger receivable in the opening in said brace.
 4. A collapsible barricade assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which said finger has an opening formed therein disposed above said brace opening and adapted to receive a locking member for lockingly retaining the brace and leg frames in extended position.
 5. A collapsible barricade assembly as set forth in claim 2 with the addition that the upper end of said post is received in a collar mounted on a second post section projecting upwardly therefrom, said collar and post having aligned openings extending therethrough, and means extending through said collar and post openings for interconnecting said collar and second post section.
 6. A collapsible barricade assembly, comprising an elongated beam, a pair of leg frames each having a pair of ground-engageable legs interconnected intermediate their lengths by a stretcher, means swingably interconnecting the upper ends of said frames to said beam whereby said frames are swingable between a generally coplanar collapsed position and a diverging extended position, a brace connected at one of its ends to hinge means mounted on one of said stretchers and provided with an opening adjacent its opposite end, and a finger on the other of said stretchers receivable in said brace opening whereby said brace is releasably retained in position between said frames for releasably retaining them in extended position. 